Monday, September 19, 2005

The cookie is already crumbling before our very eyes as we warned exactly four months ago and most of you ignored our whistles until now that the truth has been stripped stark naked in the open for the whole world to see. The days of reckoning are here.

Everyday by day, the rulers of Nigeria continue to confirm the international image of Nigeria as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

We are publishing selected news report on the latest international scandal on another leading figure of the corrupt ruling party in Nigeria, the Self-Styled Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation, Chief Dr. D. S. P Alamieyeseigha (JP) , the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, who was caught and arrested in London for money laundering. He was found with over $36 million. Alamieyeseigha's arrest was connected to the transfer of the money believed to be between 10 million and 20 million pounds (18 million dollars and 36 million dollars) from an account with the HSBC, a prominent bank in London.

The governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye was also caught for the same crime, but he was granted bail and he returned to Nigeria and has escaped from prosecution under the immunity clause. An immunity that most of these rogues and crooks in government have used to escape from being punished for their rampant criminal activities in Nigeria and abroad.

Imagine the so called Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation who has been most vocal in accusing the multi-national oil companies operating in Nigeria of failing in their statutory obligations to the corporate development of their host communities in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. And he is the one misappropriating the revenue allocation to the state and hiding them in foreign accounts. Imagine what such a huge sum of money could do for the development of the underdeveloped villages in the creeks of Bayelsa State. And all the other governors of the states in the Niger Delta of Nigeria from Abia to Ondo should be thoroughly investigated at home and abroad to find out where they are hiding all the billions of naira they have stolen from our revenue allocations.

As already noted in our work-in-progress feature documentary film, “Winds of Fire, Winds of Change: New Dawn in the Niger Delta” that these corrupt and wicked governors, ministers and their accomplices are the real enemies of the Niger Delta region and not the foreigners who are paying all their taxes and dues to the Federal Government of Nigeria from the local government to the office of the President. And when they have given the oil revenue to the government, these indigenous criminals in power will misappropriate these funds instead of using them to develop the deprived host communities in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.

We have decided to give this special report the title of "40 REASONS WHY GOVERNOR DIEPREYE ALAMIEYESEIGHA MUST NEVER RETURN TO CREEK HAVEN" from the original classic article by the fearless Sgt. Werinipre Noel Digifa, Chairman SEA. Published first on the web site of the Niger Delta Congress two years ago.

This is a clarion call on all well-meaning Ijaw sons and daughters to challenge and reject bad government and civilian dictatorship. It is a call on our fathers and mothers to save the future of our generation and indeed, the threatened generations of unborn babies crying for true lasting and meaningful change in their wombs. After a careful and objective appraisal of the government of Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, therefore, the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, like the vast majority of Bayelsans, is completely dissatisfied and nonplussed over the poor state of affairs in Bayelsa State, and is prepared to take every possible step to halt their dangerous drift to the precipice; this unequivocal position is anchored on the following grounds which in themselves could not be said to be exhaustive enough in cataloguing the avalanche of social malaise and maladies that have bedeviled the state since Governor Alamieyeseigha assumed office on May 20, 1999.

1. He is an accessory after the fact in the destruction of Odi as he collaborated with President Obasanjo to wipe out a community of over 50,000 people! This is genocide and Governor Alamieyeseigha ought to be tried alongside President Obasanjo at the International Criminal Court of Justice at The Hague.

2. He has made his cousin, Abel Ebifemowei, transport officer government House, as the Hamza-Almustapha of Bayelsa State, who indiscriminately intimidates and brutalizes all perceived political opponents.

3. Government House itself, the seat of democratic power is run by a unitary and military system of government. Every thing rotates and revolves around Abel Ebifemowei. Nothing works for anybody without him. Most workers there know this and live with this fear daily but regrettably, their freedom of expression has been taken away.

4. Despite having collected well over N80 billion from the federation account, there is practically nothing to show for it in Bayelsa State.

5. A peripatetic governor, he governs Bayelsa State from Port Harcourt, Abuja, America and the United Kingdom. Like a growing child who sees less and less of his hopeless father, as the years go by, Bayelsa State does not in reality know Governor Alamieyeseigha except of course as a nominal governor.

6. Akesedo an ordinary civil servant is now the Sgt. Rogers of Abacha Junta in Bayelsa State. He mandated his cousin, the transport officer and his Chief Protocol Office, Joe Akedesuo to arrest and maim Chief Gbassa Ebiserikumo and Evangelist Bannerman Embiowei, among others.

7. He uses his terror machinery to issue threat letters to journalists who have been dispassionately protecting and projecting the endangered interests of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta.

8. He plays Father Christmas to his non-Ijaw friends and associates with our money by awarding over bloated contracts especially the construction of the NDU permanent site.

9. Three and half years into his administration, it is a thing of wonder and amusement that not a single kilometer of road has been completed and commissioned in Bayelsa State.

10. The so-called and much celebrated Niger Delta University is a glorified Secondary School as it lacks the basic rudimentary facilities to qualify for a University. It will be a miracle if the National University Commission Accreditation Panel gives it a pass mark, eventually.

11. He claims that there is no money in the state for project yet construction work on his multi-million naira Opolo residential house; his Kpansia Three Star Hotel; his multi-million naira Mgbuoba edifice at Port Harcourt; his multi-million naira residential building at New GRA Port Harcourt and his multi-million naira marble house in William Jumbo Street, Old GRA Port Harcourt has not stopped even for a day.

12. His fighting to relieve some well-meaning sons of Ijaw land particularly those from Bayelsa, of their federal appointments e.g. Chief Amange of Niger Delta Basin and Rural Development Authority, Ebiserikumo Gbassa of Federal Civil Service, Chief Sir, Charles Dorgu of Federal Capital Development Authority, Chief Alex Fouebide of Presidential Project Monitoring Committee on NDDC, is undoubtedly condemnable.

13. As a son of Bayelsa, he has refused to recognize the founding fathers that fought for the creation of the state like Late Chief Fred Agugu.

14. He is very selfish and arrogant. He thinks only about himself. That is why he is building another Government House in Yenagoa when the State lacks basic amenities like water, roads, good heath care services etc.

15. His development projects are seen only on the pages of newspapers, signposts and radio Bayelsa, which he employs at will to blackmail the opposition and hoodwink Bayelsians.

16. It is shameful that as Governor for three and half years he could not complete even the sand filling of the 21 kilometer road project of his hometown Amassoma.

17. He replaced Amassoma Secondary School with the glorified Niger Delta University without providing any alternative for the people. As a result, the existing secondary school is now an afternoon school sharing the same building with a primary school.

18. Since assumption of office, he has not embarked on a working visit to the original eight Local Government Areas, not to talk of his fraudulent additional 24 local governments areas, which he cannot fund.

19. Despite repeated calls by the civil populace for an unbiased investigation into the appropriation and judicious use of the N5 billion-development fund launch for the State in 1998, he has maintained a sickening silence.

20. He cannot even rehabilitate the only Yenagoa-Mbiama Road, which connects Bayelsa to the outside world. The road presently is a death trap, claiming lives daily.

21. He has abandoned the much-celebrated and advertised Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie Road, Yenagoa-kolo-Nembe-Brass Road the Sagbama-Ekeremor-Agei Road.

22. His government is a government of fraudulent feasibility studies and not a government of actual development.

23. It is incontrovertible that President Obasanjo hates Ijaws with all his soul. But unfortunately, our dear governor is now the campaign manager of Obasanjo's 2003 project. He was among the governors and political office holders that visited Otta Farm to beg Obasanjo to re-contest. He formed part of the team that went to broker peace between President Obasanjo and the National Legislators in the wake of the impeachment moves against the President, even when Ijaws want Obasanjo out.

24. He has been looking for investors abroad for three and half years without even providing a sound bread baker. He is deceptive and would do worse if re-elected.

25. Development outside Yenagoa is frustratingly slow. Yenagoa is being knocked into shape and the expense of the rural communities where over 80 percent of the people reside.

26. He encourages electoral fraud and violence in the State as witnessed in the last PDP council primaries where over 40 Bayelsans died.

27. He claims to be an apostle of resource control in Ijaw land when he cannot galvanize the State House of assembly to pass a bill in this regard.

28. He has wasted so much of our resources on frivolous projects. For instance, the OBJ airport and his tollgate at Igbogene along Yenagoa-Mbiama Road.

29. He has failed the people by not fulfilling any of the electoral promises he made e.g. the road project at Ekeremor.

30. Our governor always travels abroad as if it's from Yenagoa to Amassoma. He has become Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister. Thereby, putting a halt to all economic, political and social activities of the state during his sojourns abroad.

31. He has forcefully annexed the Amassoma market, converted it to his private property and built his house there instead of his father's compound, as is the tradition in Amassoma.

32. He prevented multi-national oil companies like Shell, Texaco and Agip from establishing in Yenagoa.

33. He built a public market and gave out all the stores to his wife. No wonder the market could not function.

34. He spent our money to buy guns and speedboats for his campaign instead of building infrastructures for the people.

35. Governor Alamieyeseigha operates an over bloated government with a bogus number of Special Assistants and advisers with serious duplication of functions.

36. A governor that has been indicted by the Independent Corrupt Practices Tribunal has no legitimate business governing Bayelsa State.

37. In spite of the fact that Bayelsa is one of the smallest and youngest States of the federation, the Punch of September 23, 2002 quotes governor Alamieyeseigha as earning the highest annual remuneration of N18 million naira per annum.

38. Governor Alamieyeseigha has desecrated Ijaw land and the ancestors are angry. The series of fatal accidents he has had lately is only a warning signal. He better think twice because the series of accidents have rendered the siblings of the victim families hopeless.

39. Since assumption of office he has not published quarterly audited financial accounts of the state.

40. His recent secret moves to obtain a N2 billion loan for the State from Standard Trust Bank is not only disgusting but also preposterous. And also the youths have been advice not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs. Because none of the aspirant’s children is in Nigeria they are all abroad not to talk of partaking in the election.

We are asking the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security service to watch careful the flow of arms in Bayelsa State. And that the police should try as much to bring any-body caught with arms to book to observe the rule of law. We will not accept intimidation as true Ijaw people. God bless our fatherland. March 2003.Chief Dr. D. S. P Alamieyeseigha (JP)in action as the Self-Styled Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation.

By Ben AgandeAMID the report that Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, arrested last Thursday in London for alleged money laundering, would remain in Britain until November 15 when his fate would be determined by the Metropolitan Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have commenced moves for the trial of the embattled governor in the British capital. The EFCC's wish for the governor's immediate trial will, however, depend on the strength of the evidence the Metropolitan Police may have against him. A source close to Sunday Vanguard disclosed this at the weekend just as President Olusegun Obasanjo said the fact that Alamieyeseigha was arrested on money laundering allegations, in spite of his position, was an indication that his administration's anti-corruption measures were working.

The embattled governor, it was gathered, had begun to assemble a team of lawyers ahead of his possible trial. The identity of lawyers already contacted in Britain could not be ascertained at press time.

In Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, at the weekend, there were mixed reactions to the news of the governor's arrest. Although the state capital was calm, many of the state commissioners were said to have gone underground for the fear of being invited by the EFCC to make statements on the arrest of the governor. Government sources in Yenagoa, last night, said the deputy governor, Mr. Jonathan Goodluck, had been summoned by the Presidency to Abuja on the Alamieyeseigha saga. "The fact that the police arrested this man (Alamieyeseigha), no matter his position, is in fact an indication that our anti-corruption measures are working", Obasanjo said yesterday while fielding questions on the Cable News Network (CNN). He went on: "Now in the history of Nigeria, up to the life of this administration, that nobody so highly placed has been arrested and being charged isn't because they haven't committed an offence but because we know that and we are telling the world that this is what we are going to do. We are grateful that you mentioned that I was accused and see what it has opened for us, go ahead.

"Now, if I do that, all our friends will know that nobody, nobody ... no sacred cow and that is what has happened and this is what is happening". EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who was said to have been informed about the allegations against Alamieyeseigha before his arrest, it was gathered, left Nigeria for London last Thursday, apparently to press for immediate prosecution of the governor if there was enough evidence to do so. The EFCC's position, according to sources, was informed by the thinking that it was better to try him immediately in Britain where his right to immunity would not apply rather than allow him to return to Nigeria and seek protection under the immunity clause from prosecution. "We want to avoid a repeat of the case of the governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, who was arrested by the same Metropolitan Police on money laundering allegations and granted bail only for him to run back to Nigeria", a source said. It added: "The commission is committed to ensuring that no matter how far people who commit crime run, the long arm of the law catches up with them. We don't want to repeat the same mistake that we made on Dariye".

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the Federal Government was determined to fully cooperate with the British government to ensure that all Nigerian government officials found to have been involved in money laundering were brought to book. "We are aware that the Federal Government had to give an approval for the waiver of the diplomatic immunity of Governor Alamieyeseigha to allow the Metropolitan Police arrest and question him on the money laundering allegations against him", the EFCC source stated, pointing out: "The understanding was that since he cannot be arrested or prosecuted in Nigeria when he comes back, it is better for the Metropolitan Police to be allowed to do the job".

Reports said yesterday that Yenagoa was quiet as the news of the arrest of the governor in London filtered in. Most politicians and top government officials in the state, approached for comments were almost short of words. The atmosphere at both the state secretariat and the Creek Haven, the state's seat of power, was quiet as top government officials and politicians were seen discussing in groups in low tones.

However, some of the governor's aides, who were contacted on telephone, declined to comment on the incident, saying, "the governor cannot be reached for any information".

Some politicians, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the arrest was politically motivated, while others described it "as a welcome development", especially with so much display of wealth by politicians in the state. Commissioners to underground

Many of the commissioners could not be reached at the weekend as they were said to have gone into hiding out of the fear that the EFCC could invite them for questioning over the allegations against Alamieyeseigha.

Also the deputy governor, who is in charge of the state in the absence of the governor, could not be reached, but sources close to the Government House, Yenagoa claimed he had been summoned to Abuja by the Presidency on issues relating to the governor's arrest.

A press conference arranged for him on the Alamieyeseigha saga last Friday was cancelled at the last minute. No official reason was given for the cancellation but Sunday Vanguard learnt that he was advised against speaking on the matter. The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Zaiki, reportedly travelled to London the moment the story on the governor's arrest broke last Thursday ostensibly to give him (Alamieyeseigha) a helping hand in the British capital.

Bayesians go spiritual

Yesterday, all Bayesians were asked to engage in three-day fasting beginning from today to seek divine intervention for their governor. The General Overseer of the Government House, Yenagoa Church, Pastor Leghemo, aired the appeal on the state radio, Glory FM.